The next few days were tense, but the plan was working. **Golden Fang**'s retaliation had only made them look weaker, and the **merchants** and **smaller guilds** that had sided with CODE were more committed than ever. Word spread quickly through **Starter City**—CODE was rising, and Golden Fang was crumbling under the pressure.
But the fight wasn't over yet. Alex knew that a desperate enemy could be the most dangerous kind, and Golden Fang wasn't about to let go of their power without a final, violent stand.
The evening light cast long shadows across the **war room** as Alex, Betsy, Drax, and Luke gathered to review their next steps. A map of Starter City lay spread across the table, marked with pins indicating Golden Fang's interests and the areas CODE had begun to secure. The atmosphere was charged with a quiet intensity—one wrong move, and all their careful work could fall apart.
"We've made significant progress," Betsy said, pointing to the sections of the map that had switched over to CODE's control. "Golden Fang is bleeding merchants, and their allies are starting to reconsider their loyalties. But they're not going to let this go without a fight."
"They're backed into a corner," Drax added, his usual grin absent. "Which means they'll come out swinging."
Alex nodded, his eyes fixed on the map. "Exactly. Desperate people make dangerous decisions. We need to be ready for whatever they throw at us next."
Betsy crossed her arms. "So far, they've been attacking merchants, trying to scare them back into line. But that's not working. They'll escalate."
"Which is why we need to hit them **first**," Alex said quietly. "Before they have a chance to regroup."
Drax perked up at that. "You want to go on the offensive?"
"Not directly," Alex replied. "We're still not looking for a full-scale conflict. But we need to make them feel the pressure. We'll start targeting their key **supply lines**—hit the routes they rely on for income. It'll make them desperate, but it'll also weaken them."
Betsy frowned slightly. "And when they realize what we're doing?"
"They'll either double down or they'll start to crumble," Alex said. "Either way, we'll be in control."
Luke, ever the quiet observer, finally spoke. "**Verum.**"
Alex smiled faintly. Luke's simple affirmation always carried weight, and it was a reminder that truth and strategy would win the day. The plan was in motion, and now it was time to execute.
---
The first target was a **supply caravan** heading toward one of Golden Fang's key outposts, a heavily guarded trading post on the edge of Starter City. It was critical to their operations, supplying both gold and resources that kept their influence alive. If CODE could disrupt that, it would send a clear message to Golden Fang—and to anyone else watching—that CODE wasn't just a rising guild, but a force to be reckoned with.
Drax led the operation, along with a team of CODE's most skilled fighters. They moved under the cover of night, their footsteps silent as they approached the **caravan route**. The plan was simple—ambush the caravan, disable the guards, and leave enough of a mark to show that Golden Fang couldn't protect its own interests anymore.
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"Alright, team," Drax whispered as they crouched behind the ridge overlooking the road. "This is a simple hit. We take out the guards, disable the caravan, and get out before anyone knows what happened. No unnecessary risks."
The team nodded, their faces set in grim determination. The **shades**, summoned by Alex earlier, moved silently in the shadows, waiting for the moment to strike.
As the caravan approached, Drax gave the signal. The team moved swiftly, descending upon the caravan with practiced precision. The guards barely had time to react before they were overwhelmed. Drax, his sword flashing in the moonlight, took down two of the guards with a single sweep, while the others fell quickly under the coordinated assault of CODE's fighters.
The **shades** played their part perfectly, wrapping around the caravan's wheels, immobilizing it in seconds. The attack was over before it had even begun.
"We're clear," Drax said, wiping his blade clean as the last of the guards fell. "Let's make sure they know it was us."
One of the team members pulled out a **sigil** of CODE, marking the side of the caravan with the guild's emblem. It was a deliberate move, meant to send a message: CODE was here, and they weren't afraid of Golden Fang.
As they finished, Drax gave the order to move out, and the team disappeared back into the night, leaving the wreckage behind.
---
The next morning, the news spread like wildfire. Golden Fang's supply caravan had been attacked, and the **mark of CODE** had been left behind for all to see. Merchants, guilds, and even some of the NPC nobles began whispering about the boldness of CODE's move. Golden Fang's **weakness** was becoming more apparent by the day.
Alex, standing in the **Obsidian Gambit**, watched as the casino bustled with activity. The rumors had reached even here, and the patrons were talking about CODE's rise to power. It was exactly what he had planned—a quiet war fought in the shadows, with Golden Fang on the losing side.
But as the day wore on, Alex couldn't shake the feeling that something was coming. **Desperate people make desperate moves**, and Golden Fang was nothing if not desperate.
---
That evening, as the team gathered in the war room to debrief the success of the caravan raid, a scout burst through the doors, his face pale and his breath coming in ragged gasps.
"**Golden Fang's launched a counterattack!**" the scout said, his voice filled with urgency. "They've sent a **hit squad** to one of our allied guilds—the **Iron Chain**!"
Alex's eyes narrowed. He had expected a retaliation, but he hadn't thought they would target one of CODE's new allies so soon.
"Betsy," Alex said sharply, "how many fighters does Iron Chain have on hand?"
"Not enough to hold off a full squad from Golden Fang," Betsy replied, her voice tense. "They need reinforcements, fast."
Alex didn't hesitate. "Drax, take a team and get to Iron Chain's base. Protect them at all costs."
Drax was already on his feet. "I'm on it. Let's move!"
As Drax and his team raced out of the guild hall, Alex turned to Betsy. "We need to make sure this doesn't escalate. Golden Fang is trying to draw us into a war."
Betsy nodded, her eyes hard. "They're scared. They wouldn't be doing this if they weren't feeling the pressure. But if they think they can wipe out our allies, they're going to push harder."
"We'll deal with them," Alex said, his voice calm but steely. "But we need to be smart about this. We can't afford to let them provoke us into a fight we're not ready for."
---
Drax and his team arrived at **Iron Chain's base** just in time. The base, a fortified guild hall on the outskirts of Starter City, was already under siege when they arrived. Golden Fang's hit squad had surrounded the hall, and the sound of clashing weapons echoed through the night.
"Hold the line!" Drax bellowed as he charged into the fray, his sword cutting through the air with deadly precision. The Iron Chain fighters, clearly outnumbered, cheered as CODE's reinforcements arrived, rallying to their side.
Drax's team moved quickly, cutting down Golden Fang's attackers with brutal efficiency. Luke, silent as ever, fought alongside them, his shield a bulwark against the onslaught. As the battle raged, Drax made his way to the leader of the hit squad, a tall, scarred man wielding a massive axe.
"Is this the best you've got?" Drax taunted, deflecting a swing from the man's axe with a powerful block. "No wonder you're losing!"
The man snarled, his eyes filled with rage as he swung again, but Drax was too fast. With a quick sidestep and a powerful upward slash, Drax disarmed the man, sending his axe clattering to the ground.
"Get out of here," Drax growled, pointing his sword at the defeated leader. "Tell Golden Fang that this is just the beginning."
The man hesitated for a moment, his pride clearly wounded, but after a glance at his fallen comrades, he turned and fled, the remnants of his squad retreating with him.
As the dust settled, Drax sheathed his sword and turned to the leader of Iron Chain. "You good?"
Lorna, the guild leader, nodded, her face grim but grateful. "Thanks to you. Golden Fang won't forget this."
"They'd better not," Drax replied with a grin. "Because we're just getting started."
---
Back at the guild base, Alex and Betsy were already discussing the next steps. The attack on Iron Chain had been bold, but it had also been **reckless**. Golden Fang was losing control, and the more desperate they became, the more mistakes they would make.
"They're crumbling," Betsy said, her voice calm but sharp. "They've overextended themselves, and now
they're lashing out. We need to keep up the pressure."
"We will," Alex replied. "But we need to be careful. They're not done yet. The more we push, the more dangerous they become."
Betsy nodded. "So, what's the next move?"
"We're going to keep undermining their allies," Alex said, his eyes gleaming with determination. "We'll make sure every guild and every merchant that relies on Golden Fang knows they're on the losing side. And when the time comes, we'll deliver the final blow."